[Campaign Face Off] Uber vs Ola Children's Day campaigns

Social Samosa takes a look at the Children's Day brand campaigns and finds out who stood out in terms of messaging and recall on social media between Uber vs Ola

On the occasion of Children's Day this year, two of the biggest car aggregator giants, Uber and Ola have released their respective communications. The messaging of both the videos is the same, while the narration is different.

While, Uber uses nostalgia and childhood memories to bring in the importance of the brand in people's lives, Ola on the other hand talks about the message 'Just like you are there for your child, we are there for you'.

Social Samosa takes a look at both these brand campaigns and finds out who stood out in terms of messaging and recall on social media between Uber vs Ola.

Creative strategy - Uber vs Ola

Uber's 'Koi Naa'

Uber takes the audience on a nostalgic trip through the story of a father and his daughter. In the video Renu Yadav (the rider) talks about her childhood memories where her father played a crucial role in each and every new chapter of her life. Right now, due to old age, her father has been facing challenges travelling on his own and Uber gave her the freedom to book cabs and arrange travel for her father while living in another city.

Uber launched UberJOURNEYS in September this year and it focuses on creating real life video-stories about the lives of riders and driver-partners.

Ola's #ThereForYou

Ola's Children's Day video highlights how every parent struggles to bring a smile to their kids; in a similar way, how Ola is always there for these parents. The brand used the hashtag #ThereforYou to promote the video and reach their audience.

Social media strategy - Uber vs Ola

Uber

Within a span of 4 days, Uber's 'Koi Naa' garnered more than 2.2 million views on the brand's YouTube channel. Uber has disabled comments on their YouTube channel and is not using any hashtag to promote the video.

An ode to our parents. I wrote a short story celebrating my dad's vision for me and how @Uber_India helps me take care of him while I live in another city. Presenting to you - #KoiNa #UberJourneys #MoveForward https://t.co/mQ8j0lBhv9

— Renu Yadav (@renuydav) November 11, 2017

Ola

The Ola Children's Day Video has garnered more than 2.2 million views on the brand's Facebook channel. Even though, Ola is using the hashtag #ThereForYou, it still hasn't managed to create any noise on social media.

Most comments on the video are related to the brand's services and not to the campaign.

Expert Comment

We asked Subhadeep Dawn to share his views on which campaign stood out between Uber vs Ola and matched with the sentiment of Children's Day.

Subhadeep Dawn

Subhadeep Dawn, Creative Group Head, Contract India liked the UberJOURNEY Children's day campaign more than Ola.

Dawn cites, "I could relate so well with the Uber film, I guess most of us have stayed out of home and have parents, who are not that tech savvy or familiar with apps, so at some point or the other, we do end up booking cabs for them online. The entire film has been beautifully done and is very captivating. The throwback of childhood days and showcasing the beautiful bond between a father and his daughter perfectly matches with the occasion."

"Ola'a video on the other hand, is not that great to be talked about. Yes it is a feel good video, but the ad is not that product focused and the placement looks quite incidental," concludes Dawn.

While, Uber stands out in terms of story telling with a relatable video, both the campaigns have fallen flat in terms of creating noise on social media. The videos have garnered viewership, but when it comes to engagement, a look at the comments below the video shows that, they are not related to the respective brand videos but mostly about customer complaining.

In hindsight, does it makes sense for radio cab brands to look at Children's Day as an opportunity, when their connect with children is extremely limited, keeping in mind their offering?

For more comparative brand campaign analysis click here.